Prayers for Alex & Sophie

Meet our good buddies Nancy and little Alex.  I met Nancy within the first couple of weeks of moving out here and we have become great friends.  On Thursday, January 3, 2013 Alex will be having his tonsils and adenoids removed, otherwise known as T&A surgery.  It is fairly common for people with Down syndrome to have T&A surgery and many in our community have reported excellent results.  Alex has been having seizures recently and is on medication to treat them.  His mama hopes that the T&A surgery will mean he can get more oxygen as he is breathing so he can stop taking the medicine.  Alex will also have surgery on one of his testicles.

Nancy and I did not plan it this way, but on the very same day, Sophie will also be having T&A surgery and she will be getting a new set of tubes in her ears.  Especially as she has floppy airways (tracheomalacia and laryngomalacia), her Anesthesiologist has back up plans ready to go if her airways become compromised.  We have high hopes for this tune up.  With new tubes, the fluid that has built up can drain which should lead to better hearing and improved speech.  Once the tonsils and adenoids are gone, we hope she will be much healthier and able to fight off viruses that lead to infections.  Currently she catches every cold and flu virus that she comes into contact with.  Also, Sophie is not a good eater, (understatement of the year).  We hope that as the T&A surgery will create more space in her throat, that she will start eating more foods.

*Alex is due to the hospital at 10am and Sophie at 11:15am.  They are going to be hungry as they aren’t allowed to eat after 11pm.  The surgeries are fairly routine for the good folks at CHOP.  Both little ones will be staying overnight for a minimum of one night and both with their mamas by their side.

Please send good thoughts and prayers on Thursday, January 3rd that my baby girl Sophie and our dear friend Alex have successful surgeries, good pain management, and quick recoveries.  If you could spare a thought of support for those of us in the waiting/hang wringing room, we would appreciate it.